Improvement in canal-boat propulsion



M.. P. MULLER, A. SCHWAAB 8L F. K'RENSON'.

Improvement in Canali-Boat Prpulsion.

N0. 127,911. y Patented June H, 1872.

my J.

NITED STATES PATENT (DE-FICE.

MARTIN P. MULLER, AUGUSTUS ScHwAAR, AND FREDRIGK KRENSON, or

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CANAL-BOAT PROPULSION.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 127,911, dated June 11, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MARTIN I. MULLER, AUGUSTUS SorrwAAB, and FREDRroK KREN- SON, all ot' Savannah, in the county of Chatham and State of Georgia, have invented certaininew and useful Improvements in Propelling Canal-Boats, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, sufficient to enable others to 'make and use the same.

Natnre and Object of the Invention.

Description of the Accompany/ing Drawing.

Figure l is a longitudinal section of a boat, Showing my improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan view of same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the salue.

General Description.

A represents the frame of a boat, which may be of anydesired length or size, and constructed in the ordinary manner. At each end of the boat there is placed a steam-engine, B, ot' any desired .make or size, and which is geared to the cog-wheel() in a suitable man ner. This wheel has cogs around its periphery, and a ange, a., upon each edge, so as to keep it in position on the toothed rail D; and the wheel is journaled in water-tight bearings E in the sides of the closed compartment F.l The bearings E are adjustable, and are connected with the hydraulic ram G, or other suitable elevating device, so that they can be raised and lowered, carrying the wheel O with them, allowing the wheel to be detached from the rail so as to change the position of the boat to any part of the canalthat is, from the middle to the side of the same. vExtending through water-tight packings in the bottom of the boat are two or more reciprocating guides or feelers, b, which are connected to a lever, c, so that they can be raised or depressed at will. After the wheel C has been raised from the rail D, the positionpf the boat having been changed, and it is desired to again place it in position, the feelers or guides b are depressed so that their ends will reach the rail, and the boat is then pushed sidewise until the guides strike the side ofthe rail, when the wheel C is lowered upon it.

The toothed rail is secured to the bottom oi' the canal in any desired manner, and there may be only one, or there may be one for boats going in each direction.

In operation, each boat may carry one or two engines, as described, for its own propulsion; but in practice it will be found better to have one powerful boat, capable of towing a number of ordinary canal-boats.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The reciprocating guides or feelers b, working through the bottom of the boat, in combination with the cog-wheel C having flanges a., and operating, in connection with the boat A and rack D, as herein shown and described.

Io the above we havesigned our names this 18th day of October, A. D. 1871.

MARTIN I). MULLER. AUGUSTUS SCHWAAB. FREDRIGK KRENSON.

Witnesses J. C. LE HARDY, M. D., G. C. HUTCHINS. 

